


Queues

by retrinazambrano



Series: OQ Prompt Party [19]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, OQ Prompt Party 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2020-04-06 13:48:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19063936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/retrinazambrano/pseuds/retrinazambrano
Summary: Regina's got a fussy baby, Robin cuts in queue. Not a good mix.





	Queues

**Author's Note:**

> For OQ Prompt Party 2017.
> 
> 68\. Robin cuts in line at the supermarket. (Regina is not having it)

Henry is one restless baby at the best of times, but when it comes to grocery shopping, what with the bright, artificial lights and constant noise, he's overstimulated and fussy. He whimpers a little as she weaves her way through the aisles and she is as quick as she can be, throwing in her favourite foods, mainly healthy items, as well as a couple of more indulgent items (such as her favourite whipped cream to accompany her famous apple pie and hot chocolate), baby food, diapers etc.

Henry quietens down for a moment and Regina huffs out a breath of relief as she watches her little prince close his eyes, no doubt soothed by the sort-of rocking motion of the cart.

Soon she's finished, heading to the checkouts, hoping to be done and gone sooner rather than later - an Advil has her name on it, after all. That, and sleep. If she's lucky. Just as she's approaching the queue, a shout comes from behind her, jostling Henry awake.

If there's one thing that should never be done, it's waking a sleeping baby. Henry begins to sob, his cries increasing in pitch as he kicks his little legs furiously - no doubt he's just as frustrated as his mother by this point.

Regina takes the slump in the line to lift her baby boy from his seat, whispering sweet, soothing words into his ear as she bounces him, hoping to calm him down enough to get the items totalled, paid and bagged before he really begins to scream.

Scattering kisses to his forehead and cheeks, Henry is comforted by the familiarity of his mother, her face, touch, her scent and, as he rubs his cheek against her shoulder, face turned in towards hers, Regina relaxes and looks up with the intention of pushing her cart forward.

Except there's someone else in front of her.

"Um, excuse me? You just cut in line. I was next," she says firmly but quietly, both to avoid a scene and waking her son, but said queue cutter does not respond. At all. She clears her throat and tries again, a little louder this time and although he doesn't hear, it's the little boy that runs up beside him that tugs his arm.

"Papa, this lady is trying to talk to you." Regina looks at the boy - he's very sweet, gap-toothed with wild curls and dark, dark eyes. He can't be more than five or six. She doesn't know what it is about kids, but she's got a certain affinity with them, so hearing his sweet voice address his father melts her annoyance into nothing at all.

She doesn't know what it is about blue eyes either as she feels her stomach flip when their gazes meet. He's handsome, those eyes intoxicating and when he speaks his apology, an I'm very sorry, milady followed by a step to the side to let her pass, she realises he's also British. She didn't even know she had a thing for the accent but here she is.

"Thank you," she responds, her arm a little more securely around Henry as her free hand pushes the cart. She begins to load the items onto the conveyor belt with that one hand and it's harder than she expects, hardly able to get to the bottom of her cart without dipping Henry towards the floor. She lets out an exasperated growl but continues to do her best.

"Can I help?" It's the little boy that was just ahead of them. "You have lots of apples and apples are my favourite!"

Talk about assistance from an unexpected person. Regina glances back up at his father, who nods. "Roland loves a good apple pie." Regina smiles and tells him she agrees, that she makes a mean version herself with added cinnamon. "Now that sounds delicious…?"

"Regina Mills," she tells him. "And you are..?"

"Robin Locksley, at your service," he introduces as he leans in to retrieve one of the more difficult to grasp items in the cart. "This your son?" He asks, careful to keep his voice down.

"Yeah," Regina tells him, pressing another little kiss to his forehead. "This is Henry. How old's Roland?" She asks, watching the child count just how many apples she's purchased ( _twelve_ , he reports back.)

"I'm five and a half!" He tells her, his chest puffed out like a proud penguin. "And papa is old!"

Regina suppresses a smirk and Robin chuckles also , giving his son's curls a ruffle. "That's quite enough of that, son. I'd guess Henry is… almost a year?"

"Ten months," she confirms, nodding. "Yeah. He's not a big fan of the store, too much noise." As her arms begin to tire, Regina slowly lowers her baby boy back into the seat and miraculously, with minimal amount of fidgeting, he stays asleep.

"Roland was the same," Robin admits, pulling the last of the heavier items onto the belt. "Got easier as he got older though. He loves the store now."

"Yeah!" Roland happily chirps, standing back alongside his father. "It's colourful!"

"We made a game of the fruits and vegetables," Robin tells her. "My late wife and I, we always told Roland to tell us all the different colours he could see. Kept him out of trouble, let me tell you."

She gives him a wistful smile at _late wife_. "Sorry," she says, sympathetically but not pitifully and he doesn't even need to ask what she's sorry for. "I've a _late husband_ too." Oh Daniel. A good man gone too soon. Robin echoes her sympathies and she simply shakes his head and turns to look at his son.

"Think we're done, Roland?" And the child nods, pleased as punch, arms folding in triumph. It's a move Regina can imagine he picked up from his father.

"Thank you so much, both of you." Regina holds her hand out, first to Roland, who shakes it with the firmness that only a child can bear, before holding her hand out to Robin, who takes it with a squeeze.

"It's been a pleasure, Regina."


End file.
